You say that but it's easy to forget what snow looks like, especially in Scotland. Furthermore, each flake is different and a whole collection of different looking flakes could fool even the most ardent snow observers.

Before turning the news on, me and the other half (I'm back with her) made a check-list to see who could predict the most annual snow news reports, eg random reporter in arse-end of anywhere in snow, pictures of snowploughsand/or stranded cars, kids on sledges, viewers pictures of snowmen, warning not to drive unless you really have to, and of course the number of breakdown service calls per hour based against usual..
Got a full house in 5 mins.
The talk of this being unexpectedly early threw me a bit though, they'd predicted it from around Tuesday, so exactly what was unexpected about it?
No snow here in duckville, unless about 1 mm overnight counts.

Checking snow flakes and rejecting those that are too similar in appearance to others, in areas of south Manchester/ north Stockport is one of my most important jobs and this is my song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nT1fBCcf4o